The One
by EgaoMiyuki
Summary: Wandering aimlessly across the ocean with one goal in mind, Kuji is searching for someone to call "The One." On her strange journey she accidentally crashes into the Straw Hat Pirates and sees a familiar face. With unexpected notice she decides to stay aboard and perhaps she'll find "The One" in the crew. Takes place in the New World.
1. 00: Baratie

**Chapter 00: Baratie**

In the Sambas Region of East Blue was the floating restaurant, Baratie. The rowdy chefs were the main entertainment for the guests to watch as they occasionally fought with the less 'polite' customers. However, that one day had a different reason for their loudness.

"Sanji's the best!"

Chefs all around the ship laughed hysterically with tears running down their tightly closed eyes. Several held their stomachs or pounded the table tops. Even a handful of regular customers included themselves in the laughing fit.

"Gyaaah ha ha ha!"

"Hieeek! Da ha ha ha ha ha!"

Zeff, the owner and head chef of the restaurant, pinned the wanted of their former employee to a wooden pole in the middle of the room for all to see. It was a ridiculously drawn image of a blonde man smoking a cigarette.

"Eeeh, we are giving out wanted posters of our former assistant chef," one man announced, "To whomever visits the restaurant now!"

At one table, located in the corner of the room, sat a woman sipping her black tea in silence. She tucked back a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as a one of the cooks came to her table. He had a wide grin and showed her the poster in his hand.

"Isn't it great? Ma'am, he looks exactly like this!"

Carefully she placed down her cup and took a look at the government paper. It read: Wanted Dead or Alive. Sanji for 77,000,000 beli. A slight chuckle came from her, along with a gentle smile on her lips. Casually she rested her chin in her hand and used the other to point a slim finger at the poster.

"Do you mind if I take that?" she asked in a sweet voice.


	2. 01: Blonde

**Chapter 02: Blonde**

"Yaahhooo!" Luffy cried, stretching his arms out wide, "Meat!"

He, Chopper, and Sanji separated from the group to go grocery shopping. A bit dangerous to take the meat lover, but they couldn't say no to their captain. The three had walked to the main street of the town and found the bustling food stalls across one side and the other had small cafés. In the middle was a water canal that allowed quick and easy transportation compared to the crowded walkways.

Luffy drooled at the delicious smells of the seasoned meat being disputed in the air. The cook had to drag his elastic ear in order to keep his hands off the food. They had already used up majority of their money. Whatever they had left had to be used sparingly.

"Sanji! How 'bout that?" Luffy pointed At a batch of freshly cooked meat being platters in the front of one stall.

The cook sighed, walking up to a grocer, "Chopper, watch Luffy for a moment."

Then he focused all his attention to the ingredients in front of him while the small doctor had to handle their stretchy captain.

In one cafe across the Straw Hats was a blonde woman flipping through a newspaper and sipping her hot tea at an outdoor table. She overheard the Pirates across the waterway in their struggles for food. She paid no attention because that was the norm in this bustling town that was a popular stop for pirates.

It wasn't until she heard a splash and someone freaking out.

Rings and bubbles formed on the water and a little blue nose reindeer waved his arms with running side to side. Apparently that someone was the talking reindeer.

"AHHHHHHHHH! Lufffffffyyyyyyy!" He screamed with his eyes bulging out, "I know! I'll jump in a save him!"

He took a running start, but skidded to a stop at the very edge.

"Wait! I can't swim either!"

The blonde woman sighed while placing her paper and eyeglasses down, _'Devil Fruit users..'_

She walked to the edge of the water and jumped in. Thankfully it wasn't extremely deep, the sunlight was strong enough to reach the bottom, showing the black haired boy who had sunk to the bottom of the waterway. She scooped him in her arms and used her feet to push off the bottom and rocket to the surface. Luffy was shoved back on the street and Chopper began pumping out the water from the lungs.

Sanji hadn't noticed the situation until after he received his groceries and turned to see Luffy coughing up a stream of liquid. It didn't take much thought to realize what happened. He placed down his bags and bent down to give a hand to his captain's savior. To his surprise it was a blond haired, gray eyed woman soaked through her thin clothing.

His reaction was the same as ever to beautiful woman. His eyes glimmered, basking in her beauty and a smile stretched across his face.

"Mademoiselle," he gestured his hand to her with a silky voice.

She looked up at his outstretched hand with her dark ashy eyes and thought of a moment before accepting the offer, "Thank you," she smiled, setting off fireworks in the cook's heart.

Water had soaked her to the bone, flattening her hair to her face and her clothes clutching to her body. She frowned, obviously displeased with her appearance.

Sanji had noticed her discomfort and begun taking off his jacket in effort to help, "Would you like–"

"No, I'm alright. Thank you though," she waved him off and walked away, still twisting her clothing to rid of the excess liquid.

For several moments the cook silently watched yet another woman slip out of his fingers, but then remembered of his captain lying on the ground, "Dammit Luffy." He then threw him over his shoulder and walked away with Chopper following behind with a hoofful of grocery bags.

Further down the street the woman had turned to watch the three leave. There was something familiar with one of them, but she couldn't quite remember. Shrugging it off, she continued to walk in the opposite direction, wondering if her clothes would be dry soon.

By the time the three Straw Hats returned to their ship Luffy was once again alive and kicking, "Sanji! Meshi!"

"Ok, just wait a bit," he responded, pushing up his sleeves as he went to the kitchen.

As he washed his hands and prepped his station, his mind was on the woman from before. He didn't ask for her name and there was a high chance he wouldn't meet her again. He sighed, upset at himself yet again of his skill of obtaining the ladies.

While Sanji was sulking about his failure, Chopper and Luffy hung around on deck, waiting for their meal to come. They decided to climb up the ropes and take a better look of the island. Of course Luffy shot himself up with his rubber arms before the little doctor even begun his ascent to the top.

"Luffy! That's not fair," Chopper exclaimed at his chuckling captain, "Cheater!"

But the rubberboy only brushed away his statement as he scanned the vast land in front of him, "Oi, Chopper! Look!"

He pointed to the West and the reindeer turned his head in the direction, attempting to catch what Luffy spotted. But his eyes saw nothing and climbed up higher to get a better view. When he finally caught up to the captain he noticed a crowd of people surrounding one person.

"Huh?" he blinked, "Isn't that the woman from town?"

Luffy shrugged, "I dunno. Let's ask Sanji."

He cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered for the cook to come out. With a pissed expression on his face, Sanji emerged from the doorway asking what is the matter. He wasn't planning on doing anything else for the two unless it was utmost important.

"What do you want, Luffy?"

The Straw Hat once again pointed in the direction of the mob, "Is that girl familiar to you?"

"Huh?" Sanji strode to the side of the ship and leaned forward to check it out.

Then he spotted the blonde hair. The breasts. The slender legs. It _was_ the woman from before. There was no mistaking it.

She stood in the center of a mob of bandits, arms on her hips, and her chin held high. There was no sense of fear emitting from her, which made the men around her more nervous than they should. Her finger tapped her waist, waiting for their leader to emerge. When he finally did a sly smirk inched across her face.

"Are you this woman?" he demanded, shoving a piece of paper in her face.

"And what if I am?" she replied coolly.

RIght after she answered a mass whisper of voices begun to speak.

"It's her."

"Kuji..."

"I'll get her."

"She's mine."

"I'll die if I have to."

Kuji glanced around with a chilly expression, eyeing each man squarely in the eyes, "You all are a waste of time."

In response the leader swung up his sword, pointing it directly at her neck, "Kuji... You have humiliated not us, but our founder. We _shall_ have your head."

"Oh? That was your founder?," she gave a fake yawn, "He was dull and no fun at all."

One by one bandits positioned themselves, ready to pounce on any given moment. The blonde didn't appear to be worried and only took steps closer the the steel blade in front. The leader took a sudden step back, frightened by her taunt.

"What? Scared shitless?" she jabbed at him with a chilly tone, then in a lower voice she added, "Afraid of what I might do to you that I did to your boss?"

"A-attack!" he commanded.

They charged at her, swinging their swords and poles, but missing completely. Kuji watched their movements, swiftly dodging their next attack. In addition to her evading skills, she used their momentum against them, causing them to stab an ally or tripping over and ending their own lives.

From another perspective, one might notice the expression of excitement dancing across Kuji's face. Despite the fact that she hadn't laid a single finger on them.

"Gah!"

"Ugh!"

Screams and thuds were heard from one side of the mob. Bodies were flying along with broken weapons. Heads had turned to see what was happening, but Kuji took the chance and knocked them down with a hard kick in the back of the knee. While they were all moaning and groaning on the ground, she decided to take a quick glance at what was coming.

To her surprise it was the young man from earlier, smashing through the bandits with his legs. It was a strange fighting style, but Kuji cared less, she was more interested in how he looked while battling. He wore a stern expression as if he was prepared to knock someone to the brink of death.

"Hm," Kuji's eyebrow rose, as she cause another bandit to fall, "Interesting man."

It wasn't long until Sanji had made his way to the center, clearing a good two-thirds of the men by himself. He threw down the cigarette butt and cleanly smashed it with the heel of his shoe.

"No one hurts a lady and gets away with it," he glared at the fallen bandits.

They shivered in fear while scrambling around to drag their fallen comrades away. The two watched until all of them had completely left the scene.

"Thank you," Kuji smiled politely.

"Ah~," Sanji gushed, "Not a problem. Is there anything else I could do for you?"

But before she could give an answer a loud holler was calling out to them, "Oi! Sanji! What was that for?!"

They turned to see Thousand Sunny sailing along the coastline, Chopper manning the wheel, and Luffy waving his arms toward them. He then used his arms to rocket himself over to where they were standing.

"Sanji! You're taking too long!" Luffy childishly complained, "Foooodd!

He was then bonked on the head by the cook, "Be polite, this young lady was the one who saved you before."

"Eh?" he blinked, "Really?"

"You dumbass," another bonk, then he turned to Kuji, "Don't mind him. He's just an idiot."

She chuckled, causing Sanji to melt. Then an idea sparked.

"Miss, would you like a meal? Please take it has an appreciation for saving my idiotic captain."

Kuji smiled, "Yes, I would. Thank you.."

"Sanji. And this one here is Luffy."

"Thank you Sanji. My name is Kuji."


End file.
